What the Press said about the Monaro

[VXRonline.co.uk]

www.topgear.com
Date: September 29th, 2004
By: Tom Ford
When they asked if I wanted to run a Vauxhall Monaro VXR as a longtemer, I fell about laughing. The Monaro is loud, uncouth and uncomplicated, with a 5.7-litre pushrod engine straight out of the old Corvette. It's rear-wheel drive, and has suspension that looks like I designed it. It's about as sophisticated as a ham sandwich. It is, in fact, the car equivalent of, er, me. And my favourite thing in the world is a good ham sandwich. I nearly tore their hands off at the wrist.
I immediately noticed that it's built with distance in mind. Australian distance, this being a rebadged HSV Monaro from the land of Skippy and 1,000km pops-to-the-shops. Hence the big comfy seats, decent stereo and languid pace at a cruise. I have been given number 24, as is demonstrated by the under-bonnet plate (see picture, right). I'm pleased, as there shouldn't be more than 50 VXRs knocking about the UK, so I shouldn't be seeing any off at the lights anytime soon. Concerns about running such a big motor in a country with petrol prices as they are has caused some concern, but with interstellar gearing (85mph is roughly 2,000rpm in sixth), and a careful first 1,000 miles while running-in, the VXR has produced nearly 25mpg. True, my 90-mile daily commute is a lesson in long-distance cruising, but I'm really impressed.
The second 1,000 miles has brought a slightly different story; if you kick that big unit into life you'll be seeing single figures for the mpg. Truth is, I just can't help it. The Monaro isn't a true driver's tool, being a bit big and floppy for serious racing, but, my God, is it fun. It's a muscle car, pure and simple. And I am loving every single minute of it. The only way I can think about it is that it's the Lotus Carlton of its generation. It's silly, but good. Not so good was a brush with four foreign blokes sliding out of a junction in Neasden after just 10 days of ownership. They clipped the nearside rear, sending me sideways through a set of traffic lights and my heart rate soaring. Nothing coming the other way, and only a damaged wheel, but it made me seriously angry. Luckily the folks at Vauxhall managed to get hold of a new wheel in time for a forthcoming photoshoot and checked the rear suspension. But I can't track the four blokes with no front bumper on their A6. Bum.
• Arrived: August 2004
• Price: £35,595
• Mileage: 2,457
• Test mpg: 23.2mpg
• Recent costs: None
• Recent problems: Bad drivers

[VXRonline.co.uk]

www.topgear.com
Date: November 10th, 2004
By: Tom Ford
After 4,000 miles we are still happy and pottering. Or rather roaring around in third pretending to be in NASCAR. I will mitigate that comment with a discovery: as long as you're rolling, it'll happily pull through roundabouts and junctions in fourth. It'll pull from 5-10mph, giving the kind of flexibility you get from gas turbines. It's like an auto. The only car I've driven of late that makes this thing feel limp is the mad 600bhp-plus Merc SL 65. Shame I can only restrain myself half the time; fuel economy is now below 20mpg. So far there are no quality niggles, which I was perhaps unfairly expecting, though a heavy clutch and London traffic is quite tiring. I now have a left thigh twice the size of my right. I've also had a speed camera warning device fitted in the shape of the weeny MicroPilot, which includes a laser sensor for mobile cameras. Fitting it was painless, but I'm getting earache from it bweep-bweeping madly about lasers. Apparently I'm being hosed with laser light all the way down the A1. We shall see how we get on in the coming months.
• Arrived: August 2004
• Price: £35,595
• Mileage: 4,132
• Test mpg: 19.9mpg
• Recent costs: None
• Recent problems: None

[VXRonline.co.uk]

www.topgear.com
Date: Febuary21st, 2005
By: Tom Ford
Winter weather has proved one thing; Monaros are not all-weather cars. They are not the Subaru Imprezas of Australia and they are not built for Lincolnshire lanes with frozen puddles and ball-bearing-grip cow dung. The defining moment comes when, on the fourth roundabout of the day, you find yourself whacking a quarter-turn of lock for the fourth time. The fact that you're doing this in itself isn't that weird for such a powerful rear-driver - it's when you find that you do it without thinking, trying not to, with the traction control on.
You don't have to be a muchly-mustachioed Poirot to work out the contributing factors: the Monaro is nearly through its first set of tyres at 11,552 miles, the tarmac is icy, and the traction control is the automotive equivalent of someone pulling on the handbrake.
Luckily, we've seen our 10k service since the last time we spoke and KE04 is in rude health. The Vauxhall chaps even fixed my broken cupholder and wobbly centre-console lid. Still awaiting a full bill as they've never serviced at 10k yet, but it shouldn't be too harsh - we'll fill you in as and when. Meantime, we've sourced a louder exhaust from a company called Linden Special Vehicles in Wellingborough. Next update from the safety of earplugs!
• Arrived: August 2004
• Price: £35,595
• Mileage: 11,552
• Test mpg: 24.3
• Recent costs: None
• Recent problems: None

[VXRonline.co.uk]

www.topgear.com
Date: March 1st, 2005
By: Tom Ford
Three average family saloon cars, six economical runabouts, ten Smart ForTwos... and a partridge in a pear tree. Quite possibly gingerly grasping at a credit card smoking white-hot with petrol receipts.
Whichever way you spin it, a six-litre V8 is not born of parsimony; it was created to produce 400bhp and a gloopy throb of torque from between switched off and idle. That's right, the 5.7 litres and 382bhp of re-badged HSV they called the Vauxhall Monaro VXR MkI felt a bit Elton John, so they've fitted the six-litre GM V8 (the same one as in the latest Corvette) to titivate the chest wig back up to Hasselhoff standards. I can almost hear the local tyre shop guys rubbing their hands.
It's not just the engine, either; the bonnet has gained a pair of nostrils worthy of a fat camel, plonked unceremoniously in the middle of a scowling face. Fair to say where the old Monaro looked a bit grumpy, the new car looks positively homicidal, and I caught at least two small children weeping hysterical tears on my drive and calling for their mothers to 'stop the monster'. Still, if you like people to glance in their rear-view mirror and see a vehicular incarnation of death bearing down, all the better. It certainly clears the outside lane of stragglers effectively.
The remainder of the exterior is pretty much the same, apart from a new exhaust with two pairs of tailpipes either side of the necessarily reshaped rear valance, and new double-spoke wheels. These two things don't sit entirely comfortably. The quad pipes, though far better for symmetry, are still a bit Eighties showboat. Far better to have a simple pair of fat mortars either side than enter into some ours-is-more-fussy-than-yours game. And the new wheels simply aren't as cool as the previous model's five-spoke blades, which wouldn't have looked out of place mounted on Boudicca's most slash-and-burn war chariot. Still, on UK roads it makes people stop and stare - we're just not used to something like the VXR.
Inside, nothing much has changed apart from some silver flashing around the centre console and forward binnacle, as well as all-leather seats. The dash-top oil pressure and voltage gauges have changed style and font, but you'd have to be quite **** to notice. Flick those various gauges into life via the ignition key and there's an instant change in the timbre of response from the exhaust. It sounds almost refined when compared to the original, raspy-throated 5.7-litre, although you still get the amusing back-and-forth rocking when you blip the throttle at standstill.
The clutch is much softer too, with less-instant pick-up - not the greatest feeling when you've got a big car threading through London traffic. The gearbox also feels much more cosy; still hefty compared to any other car currently on the UK market, but still less robust - which is also not a good thing in a car whose personality is transmitted through its control surfaces.
The powertrain delivers, though. That new six-litre pumps an easy 400bhp and 391lb ft of torque from an engine the size of my lounge, which might sound a lot, but really isn't when you look at the bhp-per-litre. A Honda Civic Type R gets nearly 200bhp from an engine a third of the size - the Monaro isn't exactly stressed out. But it delivers in a great sweat-free stroke of torque and power that sees the 6,000rpm redline all too quickly. Power slides are on at every roundabout, junction, curve and corner. All supremely easily collected thanks to a long wheelbase and decent steering. The traction control won't save you, though, so beware - you can get a Monaro sideways with the electronics all to attention.
Clonking through the six-speed gearbox will see a car geared for familiar 80mph/2,000rpm sixth-gear toddling. It's comfy and quiet and has a great stereo - so much so, on a long trip it's a potential licence-loser. Want to make that point a little more clearly? Stretch far enough and the VXR will see the wrong side of 185mph and five-and-a-bit seconds to 62mph. It's big. It's fast. It's from the same people who make the Signum.
Which is to say that the news isn't all good. The injection of an extra 300ccs and 28bhp isn't the real story behind the six-litre Monaro, because a whole raft of things has been changed. The simplified story is this: the six-litre car is known as the Pontiac GTO in the States, and to comply with several of the more bizarre prongs of American legislation to do with crash protection, the fuel tank has migrated northwards. Into the boot. This means that the fuel tank now takes up half of the boot's available volume, as well as securing a roll-cage all of its own in case you get rear-ended. So that's potentially 60 litres of fuel that's riding just over the rear-axle; a very effective liquid pendulum.
It shows. There's a stretch on our test route where a left-hander switches back into a long right. In the six-litre car, with half a tank of fuel on board, the flip between radii brings a distressingly hefty movement from the rear axle, followed by continued loading after the suspension has pushed over. It feels as if the fuel is draining through the tank baffles and re-weighting the car. It also changes the 'feel' of the Monaro as fuel is used up. There's also hardly space for a Samsonite anymore. This is really not good.
I'd like to be more horrible, but even given its faults the Monaro is a shiny little wonder in a world full of drab econo-boxes. But it has emigrated. Somehow the car has lost a little bit of its Australian-ness and become American. It's softer, more manageable and less inclined to corner. It's still a bargain for the big-muscle vibe - but the edge is duller. Then again, it has been said that 'only milk and orange juice should come in two-litre sizes', so I guess I'll take that extra 300ccs and burn my rubber the easy way.
Score: 15/20
We say: Muscles bulging like a cartoon superhero, but the six-litre is a little less mad than the image
Price: £36,995
On your drive for: £912pcm
Performance: 0-60mph in 5.7secs, max speed 185mph+, 17.6mpg
Tech: 5970cc V8, RWD, 400bhp, 391lb ft, 1680kg, 378g/km CO2

[VXRonline.co.uk]

www.autocar.co.uk
Date: April 5th, 2005
By:
History
Quite where the Monaro moniker came from originally is hard to trace; rumour has it that in 1968 Australian home-brand Holden wanted to create a name that was similar but different to Chevrolet’s Camaro, and so Monaro was born. Today, wearing Vauxhall badges on its flanks in the UK, Holden in Oz or Pontiac GTO markings in the States, the Monaro is finally edging its way into western performance-car culture.
Design and Engineering
The £29,895 standard car comes with the Corvette C5’s 5.7-litre V8 with 349bhp, while in its latest guise the hotter VXR’s tuned 5.7 has been replaced by the Corvette C6’s 398bhp 6.0-litre LS2 V8, giving enough performance to make Ferrari drivers feel the heat for just £36,995. It’s hard to think of any other car that offers more bangs for your buck. On the other hand, 37 grand is still a lot to ask for a coupé with a Vauxhall badge. Only time will tell whether or not depreciation will ravage the Monaro’s reputation. One thing is for sure, although the Monaro may not be the car that single-handedly transforms Vauxhall’s image, in five years’ time it will surely be remembered as a crucial player in the Luton revolution.
Last year 350 people bought Monaros, 50 of them VXRs. And since then, both the standard car and the VXR have been improved. The VXR’s 6.0-litre engine develops 398bhp at 6000rpm and 391lb ft of torque at 4400rpm, increases of 16bhp and 14lb ft over the previous 5.7-litre VXR. Modifications to the gear selector mechanism have also improved the shift quality, says Vauxhall, though the gearing remains unchanged, with sixth rated at 44.3mph per 1000rpm.
Before signing off the chassis, Vauxhall took advice from a number of handling experts, including some learned engineers at Lotus. Luton’s marketeers won’t go the whole way and make a ‘handling by Lotus’ claim, but the message is clear. The new Monaro, reckons Vauxhall, behaves better in every way than its predecessor.
For starters it now has higher-specification dampers at the rear. The engine itself weighs 20kg less than the 5.7. The steering and braking systems have both been modified, with new plumbing and different bushes in an attempt to improve the ride and handling. Even the wheels have been upgraded, not just because the new 19in items look better than before, but also because they reduce unsprung weight. Tyres remain the same; 245/35 ZR 19 Pirelli P- Zero Rosso front and rear.
On the Road
Individually, such modifications may not sound dramatic, but collectively they make a big difference to the VXR’s personality. It’s now a much sharper machine, and quicker against the clock. Unfortunately, the test car’s rear tyres were well past their best by the time we strapped the timing gear on, though it was far quicker than the 349bhp car we tested last year.
Having made a poor getaway the VXR thundered to 60mph in 5.3sec, from 30-70mph in 4.3sec and to 100mph in 12.6sec. Not quite in BMW M5/Merc E55 territory, but not a million miles away. In-gear flexibility is sensational, 50-70mph taking just 10.2sec in top despite the long gearing. That’s over five seconds quicker than the 349bhp model.
On an unusually wind-blown high-speed bowl it ran out of puff at 163mph in fifth and wouldn’t pull more than 152mph in sixth. On the flat, we’re convinced it would top 170mph, having clocked it at 163mph on the two-mile runway at Elvington airfield, at which point it was still accelerating.
Subjectively, the new 6.0-litre engine is even more impressive than it is on paper. It’s smoother than the 5.7, delivers more urgent response everywhere, is fractionally more economical (though at 18.2mpg test average you’d hardly call the VXR frugal) and, best of all, revs 650rpm higher than before. The limiter is now set at 6700rpm and there’s a change-up light at 6200rpm. The gearchange, as predicted, is much improved, as are feel and bite from the brakes, though stopping power is far from the Monaro’s strongest suit, 70mph to zero requiring a lengthy 52.9sec.
Chassis-wise it’s very much a case of the same, only better. The steering is crisper and suffers from less kickback over rough surfaces; the ride (already admirably smooth for such an aggressive car) is more compliant, and the handling 10 per cent cleaner. No, the VXR is still not quite in the M3’s league for raw cross-country dexterity, but on the other hand it’s a more soothing companion than the BMW.
Living with the Car
The VXR’s excellent seats, fine driving position, sound basic cabin design and marginally softer suspension make it a surprisingly relaxing car to drive. True, the interior doesn’t possess the sheen of an M3’s cabin, but in terms of space, build quality, ergonomic clarity and comfort it’s easily on a par. For equipment it’s unrivalled: you get cruise control, part-leather seats, climate control and a six-disc CD as standard. Add these to an M3 and they’d cost you thousands. Sadly the boot has been greatly reduced in size compared with before, from 370 to 245 litres, the fuel tank having been relocated for better crash safety.
Where the VXR is less clever is running costs. It uses fuel in the manner you’d expect of a 6.0-litre V8, pumps out 360g of CO2 per kilometre, which puts it firmly in the 35 per cent company car tax bracket, and insurance is group 20. And as we intimated earlier, depreciation is an unknown; it’s difficult to see it holding its value like an M3.
Verdict
Score: 4/5
As car enthusiasts we can’t help but be blown away by the new VXR. It’s a more convincing machine than its predecessor was in almost every way. Considering how good that car was and how highly we regarded it, it’s hard to see how Vauxhall has done it. And all for an extra £1000.
How much?
Price when new £36,995
Price as tested £45,970
How fast?
0-30mph 2.3 sec
0-60mph 5.3 sec
0-100mph 12.6 sec
0-150mph no data
0-200mph no data
30-70mph 4.3 sec
0-400m 13.9/108 sec/mph
0-1000m 24.6/138 sec/mph
30-50mph in 3rd/4th 3.1/4.4 sec
40-60mph in 4th/5th 4.3/5.6 sec
50-70mph in 5th 5.6 sec
60-0mph 2.9 sec
Top speed 163 mph
Noise at 70mph 78 dbA
How thirsty?
Test average 18.2 mpg
Test best/worst 25.4/10.2 mpg
Govt figures
Combined/urban 18.5/12.2
CO2 emissions 360 g/km
How big?
Length 4789 mm
Width 1841 mm
Height 1397 mm
Wheelbase 2788 mm
Weight 1677 kg
Fuel tank 75 litres
Engine
Layout 8 cyls ,5967 cc
Max power 398 bhp at no data
Max torque 391 ftat no data
Specific output no data
Power to weight no data
Installation no data
Bore/stoke no data
Compression ratio no data
Valve gear no data, no data
Ignition and fuel Unleaded
Gearbox
Type 6-speed Manual
1st no data/no data
2nd no data/no data
3rd no data/no data
4th no data/no data
5th no data/no data
6th no data/no data
Final drive no data
Suspension
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Steering
Type rack and pinion
Lock to lock 3
Brakes
Front 330mm vented discs
Rear 315mm vented discs
Wheel and tyres
Size Front no data
Size Rear no data
Made of alloy
Tyres Front 330mm vented discs
Tyres Rear 315mm vented discs

[VXRonline.co.uk]

www.autoexpress.co.uk
Date: June 2004
By: Owen Mildenhall
While the VXR220 shows what can be done to spice up a nimble, lightweight yet powerful sports car, Vauxhall's second new VXR model represents the other end of the scale - a massive-engined, heavyweight muscle machine.
The VXR version of the Australian-built Monaro retains the standard model's Chevrolet Corvette-sourced 5.6-litre V8 powerplant, but has been tuned by Vauxhall's Aussie cousin, Holden, to give even more brutal performance. The firm's Special Vehicles department has added revised air inlets and a sports exhaust to push out an extra 58bhp, delivering a healthy 382bhp in total - making this the most powerful production Vauxhall ever built.
Yet while you notice a little more urge when behind the wheel, the big V8 retains the lazy, slow-revving nature of the standard car. With acres of torque, in-gear performance is impressive, and power builds from as low as 2,000rpm.
That means there's little need to be rushing changes through the heavy gearbox, or exploiting the outer edges of the rev range - even though the throaty soundtrack provided by the free-flowing exhaust pipes tends to encourage you to hold each ratio a little longer than necessary!
Inside, the VXR gets leather and Alcantara sports seats, as well as an oil pressure gauge and voltage indicator in a dash-mounted pod. Externally, side skirts, a front airdam and large rear spoiler distinguish the VXR from the standard version. In addition, 19-inch gunmetal alloys should ensure it looks butch enough next to a BMW M3.
Sticky Pirelli rubber and stiffened springs aim to give sharper handling, but the old Omega-derived chassis still judders and twists over rough surfaces. And despite a faster steering rack, the Monaro's weight means it's not the sharpest coupé around. For those who have the skill and a test track at their disposal, wild, tyre-smoking oversteer is available on demand, though.
But be careful, because this special Monaro will be more exclusive than an exotic Italian supercar. The VXR is a marketing ploy designed to launch the brand, and only 50 will be sold this year. It will be the Astra and Vectra VXR versions that will grab all the sales next year, and from our sample of this spicy duo, we think they'll be tasty.
First Opinion
As with the standard car, the VXR Monaro is a true Australian brute, with a lazy V8 engine and a classic rear-wheel-drive layout. While the styling changes give it a more aggressive look, the performance and handling improvements are not huge. So while it is unique, the £6,945 price premium makes this car seem a little expensive.

[VXRonline.co.uk]

[VXRonline.co.uk]

[VXRonline.co.uk]

[Sheriff]

Technical Specification & Options

ENGINE
Layout V8
Construction Alloy block and cylinder heads, V-configuration, cross-bolted main bearings, OHV design with cross flow cylinder heads, 63mm dual stainless steel exhaust system with quad exit billrt aluminium tips
Fuel system Sequential fuel injection, distributorless ignition with coil-per-cylinder, twin knock control sensors
Engine capacity 5967cc
Bore 101.6mm
Stroke 92mm
Compression ratio 10.9 : 1
Power (bhp) 398 @ 6000rpm
Power (PS) 403 @ 6000rpm
Power (KW) 297 @ 6000rpm
Torque (Nm) 530 @ 4400rpm
Torque (lb ft) 391 @ 4400rpm
PERFORMANCE
0-60 mph 5.2 seconds
Top speed 180 mph
CHASSIS AND TRANSMISSION
Front suspension MacPherson strut with anti-roll bar
Rear suspension Control-link independent rear suspension with anti-roll bar
Transmission Six speed manual transmission
Other Limited slip differential, traction control
BRAKES
ABS
Front 330mm x 32mm, ventilated and grooved
Rear 315mm x 18mm, ventilated and grooved
Configuration Four wheel disc, ventilated front disc and finned caliper
WHEELS AND TYRES
Wheel size 8in x 19in
Tyre size 245/35R19
Tyre make Pirelli P Zero
Spare wheel alloy spacesaver
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Urban 11.6
Extra-Urban 24.9
Combined 17.6
CO2 384 g/km
Emission compliance Euro 2
Fuel tank capacity 70 litres
GEAR RATIOS
1st 2.66:1
2nd 1.78:1
3rd 1.30:1
4th 1.00:1
5th 0.74:1
6th 0.50:1
Final drive 3.46:1
EXTERNAL DIMENSIONS
Overall length 4798 mm, 188.9 in
Overall width 1841 mm, 72.5 in
Overall height 1397 mm, 55.0 in
Overall weight 1677 kg
Front track 1559 mm, 61.4 in
Rear track 1577 mm, 62.1 in
Wheelbase 2788 mm, 109.8 in
Turning circle 11 metres (kerb to kerb)
INTERNAL DIMENSIONS
Leg room (front) 1072 mm, 42.2 in
Leg room (rear) 942 mm, 37.1 in
Shoulder room (front) 1515 mm, 59.6 in
Shoulder room (rear) 1312mm, 51.7 in
Head room (front) 946 mm, 37.2 in
Head room (rear) 848 mm, 33.4 in
Hip room (front) 1472 mm, 60.0in
Hip room (rear) 1275 mm, 50.2 in
Loadspace 245 litres
SERVICING AND CUSTOMER CARE
Service interval 10,000 miles
Warranty One year unlimited mileage warranty with second and third year no-fee warranty to 60,000 miles
Vauxhall Assistance 12 months from first registration
OTR PRICE £36,995
COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE
Active front head restraints with height adjustment
Alloy pedal extensions
Automatic headlamps
Black leather sport seats (four seats)
Body colour electric door mirrors
Centre console compartment with 12V socket
Alloy billet quad exhaust tailpipes with stainless steel exhaust system
Concealed storage compartment in rear of transmission tunnel
Courtesy lamps on doors
Cruise control
Door storage bins
Driver and front passenger adjustable lumbar support
Driver and front passenger front and side airbags
Driver and passenger illuminated vanity mirrors
Eight-way electric front seat adjustment with driver’s seat memory
Electric front windows
Electrochromatic interior rear view mirror
Electronic Climate Control
Front foglamps
Front footwell lights
Front map reading lights
Height adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters
Leather front armrest
Leather gearknob and handbrake lever
Leather steering wheel trim
Lower door and transmission tunnel trimmed in black suede
Mobile phone concealing storage compartment
Rear parking distance sensors
Rear passenger compartment air vents
Satin chrome on gearknob, handbrake lever and door handles
Satin chrome rings around dashboard instruments
Seat and upper door trim in leather
Seatback map pockets
Stainless steel sillplates
Steering wheel height and reach adjustable
Tachometer, volt meter, oil pressure guage
Trip computer
Twin cupholders in instrument panel
Variable intermittent road speed sensitive windscreen wipers
AUDIO SYSTEM
Blaupunkt radio with in dash 6-disc CD multichanger
Steering wheel audio controls
10 speakers
SAFETY
Adjustable head restraints
Anti-submarining ramps
Centre mounted stop lamp
Child restraint anchor points
Driver and passenger airbags
Driver and passenger side impact airbags
Pyrotechnic seat belt pre-tensioners on the front seats
SECURITY
Alarm and immobiliser
Locking wheelbolts
Two stage central locking with deadlocks
COLOURS
Phantom Black (metallic)
Quicksilver (metallic)
Redhot (solid)
OPTIONS
Smoker packs (front and rear)